Plaid Cymru demands fair share of £1 billion transport investment

Plaid Cymru has responded to the UK Government’s announcement that it will launch a £1 billion “roads revolution”, demanding that Wales gets its fair share.

The £1 billion of spending in England will be ring-fenced from the £6 billion raised annually from vehicle excise duty, known as road tax, which is paid by taxpayers from all UK countries, not just England.

£1 billion of spending on England only projects would trigger around £50 million for Wales under the Barnett Formula.

Plaid Cymru has called on the Welsh Government to ensure this money is spent on improving Wales’ roads.

“Wales’ roads are shamefully inadequate and our country is disconnected as a result of chronic underinvestment.

“The £1 billion for England will be funded from the road tax, which is paid by Welsh taxpayers as well as English taxpayers.

“It is vital that Wales receives its fair share of this investment which should be around £50 million a year. The UK Treasury cannot be allowed to get away with an accounting trick as they have in the past and deny Wales our rightful share by describing England-only investments as investments for the whole of the UK.

“The Welsh Government must also commit to spending this money on rebuilding Wales’ road network, connecting our towns and cities and reducing congestion.

“Wales should not have to rely on decisions made by English Ministers, for English domestic issues in order to get on with the job of rebuilding our country. We should be free and able to make these decisions ourselves, invest in our country and upgrade our roads and railways.”